NYC Law Department letter regarding EPA draft report excerpts, July

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Introduction

Note: This is an overview plan that provides general background and rationale for air sampling. A shorter condensed version will be updated daily. . n\t-91 · \)J\~ ~~\' This Plan is intended to cover US EPA and state monitoring for possible airborne contamination that may be associated with the World Trade Center disaster, incorporating measurements in and near the Hot Zone, in the nearby community, in the surrounding community, and associated with the landfill where debris is being disposed of. It includes continuation of monitoring in and around the hot zone begun by EPA's Environmental Response Team (ERT) soon after the disaster, monitoring performed by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) at some ofNYSDEC's long term permanent monitoring sites as well as some new sites initiated for this purpose, and a number of new monitoring sites and initiatives of EPA Region 2~ It also incorporates invaluable assistance in planning and implementation from a large number of organiutions within and outside EPA

The monitoring described in this plan represents the current best approach, consistent with the perceived needs and the available resources. It is subject to change as the perceived needs and/or recource availablities change. Implementation of the plan will continue until the data indicate that it is no longer needed, or until other activities or events so dictate, such as the completion of debris removal and disposal.

Because logisitical support is so important to the initiation and implementation of. the plan, it will receive an unusually high emphasis in the plan. c_y>) )k, ,..,,,,.... "'fonitoring Objectives: ~ e)~ "' rD-~~ ·~ . \ }.{ .. - General Objective: .. ·~ ':)~ ~~ .. ., r .,

·. \) '.:,\'i~,t/\ ,~~t. \rCYf 'b nu,-t-\ Provide air quality monitoring during the clean-up after the World Trade Center disaster, characterizing the ambient air quality in the immediate vicinity of the destruction (termed the hot zone), in the nearby surro~nding community, including, for example, the Wall Street are (termed the ~ear zone), in the wider community[,~~ ­ surrounding lower Manhattan (termed the general population zone), anci in the community surrounding Fresh Kills Landfill (FKL) in Staten Island, where the debris is being disposed of(termed the landfill zone).

Specific Objectives, in priority order: . ~

1. Provide air quality data to characterize the extent of health risks in each of th~ associated with the aftermath of the disaster andthe rescue/cleanup/disposal activities. In the hot zone, the target population is the rescue/cleanup/disposal personnel. In the other three zones, the target populations are those individuals living and working in those areas.

The priority order is: hot zone, near zone, landfill zone, and general population zone.

2. Provide general characterization of impact, nearby and general air quality associated with the disaster.

3. Provide general characterization of air quality impact, including health impact to the residential and working communities in the areas in the vicinity of and downwind of the temporary diesel generators to be installed in and around Manhattan to supply electrical power interrupted by the disaster. These activities, while important, are not covered by the current draft of the plan because the nature and locations of the.generators have not yet been defined.

NYC-WTC_000146540